An Anaheim man and self-described “incel” who admitted to committing hate crimes by pepper-spraying several people was sentenced this week to four years in prison, authorities said.
Johnny Deven Young pleaded guilty to one count of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and four counts of unlawful use of tear gas, according to court records. Young also admitted to personal use of a deadly weapon and hate crimes, both of which carry enhanced sentencing.
Young posted videos on his YouTube channel showing him pepper-spraying and sexually harassing women in attacks that occurred in November 2021 and April 2022, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
In the November 2021 incident, Young verbally harassed a 24-year-old woman as she was leaving a bar near the Triangle Square mall, police said. Young allegedly pepper-sprayed her and her companion, a 29-year-old man.
He was arrested in September 2022 and has been detained in the Orange County Jail.
Young has publicly identified himself as an “incel,” a portmanteau term for “involuntary celibates,” an online community of men who express frustration with women because they feel they are not sexually attractive to them.
“No one should have to live in fear of being indiscriminately attacked and then publicly humiliated online because of their gender,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “This behavior is disgusting and the celebration of this behavior by like-minded individuals is completely unacceptable.”
In August 2019, Young and another man yelled “white power” at XS at Encore nightclub in Las Vegas and threatened to “shoot up the place,” according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
In connection with that incident, Young was convicted of harassment motivated by hate or bias and sentenced to one year in the Clark County Detention Center.
